Plans to open a huge 14-screen cinema at Westfield at the end of this year have been delayed.

The cinema had been due to open by the end of 2009 but this has now been pushed back to February 2010, Westfield have confirmed.

In this month's edition of Bridge magazine, Westfield's Jill Macardle says the opening of the spa and gym have been delayed too: “We still don't have a fixed date for the cinema yet, I'm afraid, but I can say it will be opening in the New Year. It will be amazing – very, very different with 14 screens, and we are planning to have film premieres here so watch this space! The gym will also open in early 2010 and the spa,” Macardle told the magazine, which is published by estate agents Douglas and Gordon.

Westfield announced at the end of April that they had reached an agreement with Vue Entertainment to open a new cinema complex at the shopping centre. “All 14 auditoria with massive floor to ceiling, wall to wall screens will be fully digital giving the ultimate picture quality and the widest possible film choice with the added bonus of being able to show movies in 3D format now growing significantly in popularity,” a Westfield statement said at the time.

“The largest auditorium will seat nearly 500 and all screens will offer Vue’s super comfort Superior Seats with 3 screens having their own dedicated bar and restaurant area. The new cinema will be located above the existing Loft restaurants overlooking the Atrium at the heart of the shopping centre,” the statement said.

The deal with Vue came after the original tenant, Showcase Cinemas, was forced to pull out when its American owners ran into financial difficulties.

Plans to use the whole of the top floor as one vast leisure space also ran into trouble earlier this year when Westfield was unable to find a tenant. Because of the difficulties Westfield were granted planning permission to use some of the area as office space instead and Westfield said at the time they anticipated that health clubs would occupy only a relatively small part of the space.